Extruded bituminous product



March 5, 1935. E. v. HARLOW EXTRUDED BITUMINOUS PRODUCT Filed Oct. 17, 1931 JNVENTOR. for/ )4 flow/oar:

M ATT RNE lllill .rnIlllil Patented Mar. s, 1935 1,993,343

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EXTRUDED BITUMINOUS PRODUCT Earl V. Harlow, East range,.N.-J;,assignor o The Koppers Company of Delaware, a corporation of Delaware Application October 17, 1931, Serial No. 569,533 Claims. (01. 15445.5) This invention relates to extrideddo itfifilous materials with which 'they may' come in contact products, and methods of extrpding the same, in transportation and storage.

and more particularly to productsoLthis char- At the same time, in the finished product, the acter adapted for filling or packing purposes. bituminous coating of higher softening point has 5 It is an object of the invention to provide a the advantage of readily fusing with the softer 5 product of this character which will not adhere core when slightly heated to form a substantially when stacked or rolled for transportation or homogeneous mass of practically the same charstorage, but which may readily be caused to adacteristics of the extruded core. This may be here in use. done by merely brushing the coated extruded Another object is to provide a method of exproduct with a flame, or passing it near a suitable 10 truding' a bituminous product which will avoid radiator or any other desired heating means.

adhesion of the die, and thereby avoid accumu- This feature permits the extruded material to lation at the face of the die of the material being resume its adhesive character when used for fillextruded. ing purposes, so that a large cavity may be filled Furtherobjects are to simplify and improve by several lengths of th extruded p t, which 15 the construction and operation of methods and will adhere and form the desired substantially inproducts of this character, to render them advantegral mass. Also the single lengths employed as tageous for the-pnrpose seirfortlr; crack fillers may adhere to the sides of thecrack Other objects and features of novelty will'be as is desired for this use. Thus when applying apparent as the following description proceeds, the material to obtain waterproof joints, the 20 reference being had to the accompanying drawproblem of removing the protective non-adhesive ing, in which coating is readily solved.

The: single figure is a diagrammatic view, Inasmuch as even fairly soft bituminous mate partly' in section and--partly-irr side elevation, of rials become brittle at .low temperatures, the exapparatus by means of which the process may be truded core may be reinforced by a continuous 2 carried out, and the product may be produced. flexible element such as cord, Wire, web, cloth, According to the present invention, a core of paper, or the like, depending upon the crossplastic material. is extruded and coated witha section of the extruded material and the use for bituminous material of .higher softening point. which it is intended. With thisreinforcement, The core is also preferably of bituminous matecrackingof the bituminous material would not 3 rial. I destroy the continuity and for most purposes Heretofore it has been found diflicult or imposwould not impair its value. V

sible to extrude soft bituminous materials, be- Various fillers maybe incorporated into the bicause adhesion to the die and surface tension tuminous material being extruded as a core. combined to overcome the internal friction of the These fillers are .preferably non-metallic, and 5 material, causing a globule or deformed mass to preferably fibrous materials. Such materials as accumulate at the face of the die, Furthermore, sawdust, ground cork, asbestos fiber, or asbestine such extruded shapes had a tendency to stick toor diatoma'ceous earth, and the like may be em getherwhen stacked or rolled, and eventually eployed, being selected according to the particular 40 turn to an integral mass. use desired. 40

By maintaining abody of powdered bituminous The bltummous materlal 0f Whlch the o material of higher softening point surrounding extruded i p e erably one form of a, compothe softer core of bituminous material being ex- 1 P coal and 311.011 o vent theretruded, these defects are materially reduced and accordmg to the copendmg apphcatlon of H. J. Rose and W. H. Hill, Serial No. 97,467, may be entlrely ehmmated' The body filed March 25, 1926 now Patent No. 1,925,005

darted material restlfams the extrudedf core of August 29, 1933. The preferred material aFamst lateral defiectlon prevents which forms the coating is a different'form of and also prevents h this composition, which has a higher softening Furthermore, the powdered bituminous matepoint rial is taken up by the extrudedsofter material, To prepare this composition which comprises due to the adhesive character thereof, thus formcoal and an 11 solvent t f various kinds of in a substantially non-adhesive coating t grades of coal, preferably bituminous coking for. This coating prevents portions of the eX- coals, are heated with oil-bearing substances 55 truded material from sticking together ort-o other such as tar, pitch and petroleum still residues. 55

The coal and oil are mixed and heated so that the coal becomes uniformly distributed therein, preferably dissolved.

The temperature to which the mixture is subjected is never raised above the decomposition temperature of the particular coal employed so that the finished product contains chemically undecomposed coal. This product has. lower temperature susceptibility, greater toughness, and reater resistance to abrasion or wear than pitch. The proportions and treatment of the coal and oil may be varied to produce different forms of this composition comprising coal and an oil solvent therefor, which forms have diflerent desired softening points for the composition.

The preferred material for the extruded core, therefore, is a form 'of this composition comprising coal and a solvent therefor, which form has a softening point of the order of 160 F., from F. to 180 F., (Ring and Ball method). This material is a fairly soft, plastic, adhesive mass, which, when extruded, will adhere to itself and to the sides of the crack or cavity to be filled, and form'a water-tight, practically homogeneous Joint.

The preferred material for the protective coating is a different form of this composition comprising coal and an oil solvent therefor, which form has a softening point of the order of 300 F., from 280 F. to 320 F., (Ring and Ball method). This material is a relatively hard, less plastic, less adhesive mass which may be powdered, and in this form will be taken up by the extruded core, by virtue of the more adhesive character of the core.

Furthermore, this coating of powdered composition comprising coal and an oil solvent therefore may be fused by heating, as by brushing with a flame, and form with the core a substantially homogeneous mass having practically the characteristics of the material of the core, and having the softening point of the order of F., from 130 to 180 F. (Ring and Ball method.)

However, pitches, asphalts and other bituminous materials may be employed within the purview of the present invention. Thus, the extruded core may be a form of this composition comprising coal and an oil solvent therefor, or pitch, asphalt, or various mixtures of these materials, with or without various fillers, such as sawdust or ground cork, asbestos fiber, asbestine, diatomaceous earth, to constitute a bituminous plastic material having a softening point of the order of 160 F., from 130 F., to 180 F.

(Ring and Ball method.)

Similarly, the non-adhesive coating may be composed of higher melting point forms of the same class of materials, compositions comprising coal and an oil solvent therefor, or hard pitches, asphalts, and the like, or mixtures of the same, preferably in powdered form and with-' out any filler, although a solid coating having a filler may be used. This coating thus constitutes or contains a. bituminous material having a softening point of the order of 300 F., from 200 F. to 350 F., (Ring and Ball method). For instance, powdered pitch having a softening point of 200 F. may be employed for this purpose.

The particular characteristics of the materials mentioned aifect their use according to the present invention. For instance, when asphalt is employed, the optimum softening point is of the order of F. (Ring and Ball method), while with various pitches, the optimum softening point is of the order of 130 F. to 140 F. Furthermore, when a filler is employed, the softening point of the bituminous material with which the filler is mixed generally may be lower than when no filler is employed.

Also, if a comparatively large amount of filler is employed, a bituminous material may be used which has a proportionately lower softening point.) In this respect, certain fillers differ from others with regard to their effect upon the selection of the softening point of the bituminous material with which they are to be mixed.

The softening points given are relative, and optimum under certain conditions, and may be varied to suit other conditions, such as the characteristics of the specific ingredients chosen, and the requirements of the use for which the filler is employed. Hence, by the term .of the order of. is meant a variation of at least 10 F. up to20 F. or more above or below the optimum range of softening points stated, so long as the extruded core is relatively soft and plastic at ordinary atmospheric temperatures, and the coating is relatively hard and non-adhesive, and may be assimilated by the core upon application of heat above usual atmospheric temperatures.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the softer bituminous material from which the core is to be extruded, and of the composition hereinbefore set forth, is supplied by a pipe 1 to a pump 2. The plastic material is supplied at such a temperature that air bubbles are largely excluded, and that the material will handle well in the pump.

The pump 2 may be of any suitable construction, but in the form shown comprises a pair of gears 4 and 5 snugly mounted in an oil tight casing 7. Rotation of the gears in the direction of the arrows shown draws the plastic material from the pipe 1 and forces it through the casing 7 and out therefrom into a. pipe 8.

A cooler 10 receives the plastic material from the pipe 8, for the purpose of reducing the temperature of the plastic material to the optimum for extrusion. While the construction may be varied, this cooler comprises a central enlarged passage 12 surrounded by a jacket 14.

The jacket 14 comprises intercommunicating sections 15, to which cooling fluid, preferably water, is supplied by a-pipe 16 and withdrawn by a pipe'17. The passage 12 is thus externally cooled, and may also be internally cooled by the cooling fluid passing through internal passages 18 communicating with respective sections 15 and extending transversely through the passage 12. The passages 18 are preferably longitudinally as well as angularly spaced, and streamlined to offer minimum obstruction to the passage of the plastic material.

From the cooler 10 the plastic material passes through a pipe 20, which connects the passage 12 to an extrusion die 22, which tapers to an orifice 24, which extrudes a rope-like core of the plastic material. When a reinforcing element is desired, the die 22 is provided with a central guide 25 threaded therein, tapering similar to the inner taper of the die 22. The central guide 25 is provided with an axial bore 26 through which a string, cord, or other fibrous or flexible reinforcing element 27 passes. The reinforcing element is supplied by a reel 28, from which it is unwound as it is drawn through the passage 26.

Surrounding the orifice 24 of the extrusion die is a hopper or funnel-like reservoir 30 which tapers to a delivery neck 32 coaxial with the orifice 24. The top of the neck 32 is spaced from the orifice 24 for a sufilci'ent distance to expose the extruded core 35 to-the bituminous material 36 of higher melting point and shown to be in the preferred powdered form.

The extruded core 35 is soft and adhesive, and the body of powdered material 36 prevents lateral deflection and consequent deformation of the extruded shape, and also being relatively non-adhesive, prevents the core from adhering to the face ofthe die. Furthermore, the powder adheres to' the core and forms anon-adhesive protective coating therefor, which is maintained at the desired thickness by the inner diameter of the neck 32, which is of the desired increase over the diameter of the extruded core.

The extruded and coated core is withdrawn from the neck 32 by a transfer pulley 40 tangent to the axis of the die 22 and neck 32, and around which a single turn of the core passes. The pulley 40 is rigid with a sprocket 42 connected by a chain 43 with a sprocket 44 rigid with the gear 5 of the pump 2. Thus the ex-. truded core is withdrawn at the same rate that the plastic material is supplied to the system. From the transfer pulley 40, the finished product passes to a winding drum or reel 45 which is driven by a pulley 46 from a pulley 4'7 rigid with the transfer pulley 40. However, this drive must compensate for the increasing diameterof the winding periphery as the finished product layers accumulate thereon. For this reason a continuous coil spring 50 passes over the pulleys 46 and 47, for driving the reel 45 from the drive for the transfer pulley 40;

The die 22, the guide 25, and the hopper 30 are removable, and may be respectively replaced by larger or smaller sizes, for producing different forms of product, in which case a changespeed mechanism 51 is employed in order to correlate the changed production to the constant supply furnished by the gear pump 2.

While certain embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in such detail as to enable anyone skilled in the art to practice the invention, nevertheless it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to any of the details disclosed other than as necessitated by the development of the prior art. Instead, it will be understood that the invention embraces such embodiments of the' broad idea as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A core of plastic material containing a composition of coal and an oil solvent which is capable of dissolving substantially all of the coal substance of the coal, said core having a coating of material containing a bituminous material of higher softening point than the composition of said core.

2. A core of plastic material containing bituminous material, said core having a coating of material containing a composition comprising coal and an oil solvent which is capable of dissolving substantially all of the coal substance of the coal, said coating having a higher softening point than the bituminous material of said core.

3. A core composed of a filler embodied in a composition comprising coal and'an oil solvent which is capable of dissolvingsubstantially all of thecoal substance of the coal, said core having a coating of bituminous material having a higher softening point than said core, said filler comprising one or more of the following fillers: sawdust, ground cork, asbestos fiber, asbestine, and diatomaceous earth.

4. A core composed of a non-metallic filler embodied in a composition comprising coal and an oil' solvent which is capable of dissolving substantially all of the coal substance of the coal, said core having a coating of bituminous material having a softening point higher than said composition. r

5. A core composed of a non-metallic filler embodied in a composition comprising coal and an oil solvent which is capable of dissolving substantially all of the coal substance of the coal, said core having a coating of powdered composition comprising coal and a oil solvent therefor, said coating composition having a high er softening point than said core composition.

EARL V. HARLOW. 

